Mounting means for needles and the like



G. GASTRICH I June 18, 1935.

2 Sheet Filed July 31, 1934 O m E V m June 18, 1935.. G. GASTRICHMOUNTING MEANS FOR NEEDLES AND THE LIKE Filed July 31, 1934 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: tifwsia/viasif'iah, BY 5 Y ATTOR EY.

Patented June 18, 1935 h UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOUNTING MEANS FORNEEDLES AND THE LIKE Gustav Gastrich, Wyomissing, Pa., assignor to-Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication July 31, 1934, Serial No. 737,741

' 7 Claims. (Cl. 66-114) My invention relates to devices for supportingassembly clamping action, by the vibration of the machine elements, suchas the needles of knitting needles and perhaps by slight temperaturemachines, and particularly to means for preventchanges from time totime. ing deterioration of the elements and the support, Another objectis to provide a novel needle bar as from rust. structure for a straightknitting machine to con- 5 In clamping devices where machine elements,stitute combined means for effectively performsuch as the spring beardneedles of a flat knitting ing its usual function and protecting theparts as machine, are operatively held between clamping above setforth.- jaws, such as the needle bars, strips of yieldable Furtherobjects are to provide a device of the 10 material are ordinarilyprovided between the neeabove-indicated character that is simple anddur- 10 dles and the clamping portions of the bars to able inconstruction, economical to manufacture, evenly distribute the clampingpressure. effective, and capable of employment with exist- The yieldablepad or strip elements are usually ing knitting machines. of a fibrous orporous composition, and'altho With these and other objects in view,which equalizing the pressure of the clamping jaws, will become apparentfrom the following detailed15 they also absorb moisture, as from theliquids description of the illustrative embodiment of the used for yarnconditioning and cleaning purinvention shown in the accompanyingdrawings, poses, thereby dampening the needles and inducmy inventionresides in the novel elements, feaing the rusting thereof. Altho themoisture and tures of construction and arrangement of parts rust mayreadily be removed from the exposed in cooperative relationship, ashereinafter more 20 portions of the needles, such procedure -isimparticularly pointed out in the claims. practicable as to the portionsof the needles with-- In the drawings: in the needle bar, unless theclamping members Figure 1 is a perspective view of a needle bar areremoved. This procedure requires shutting clamp embodying the invention,

down the machine andentails considerable loss of Fig. 2 is a view,similar to Fig. 1, of a modified 25 time in production. The moisturebetween the form of the invention, clamping jaws of a needle bar alsocauses deterio- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a ration ofthe pads and gradually dissolves the needle bar structure of a fullfashioned knitting rust preventing coating on the needles, therebymachine, showing several of the clamps of Fig. 1

hastening and sustaining the rusting action, in position, 30 whichreduces the strength and decreases the life Fig. 4 is an enlargedpartial sectional view taken of the needles. Also, where a needle isreplaced, substantially along the line 4-4, Fig. 3, the new needle ispositioned on the defective pad, Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view ofa portion which may retain rust particles from the old of the device ofFig. 3, showing the needles in needle. section, 35

It is therefore, among the objects of the in- Fig.6 isagreatly magnifiedsectional view taken vention to avoid the above-mentioneddetrimensubstantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, tal effects, bypreventing the rusting of the nee- Fig. '7 is a view taken substantiallyalong the dles at the position of attachment thereof in the line 1-1, ofFig. 6, and I needle bar; to keep the mechanism cleaner; to Fig. 8 is aview, similar to Fig. 7, of a form of 40 increase the life of theneedles; to reduce the the invention indicated in Fig. 2. 7

time of shutdown of the machines; to avoid de- In a preferred form,given only asan example. terioration of the pads; and to obtain theother in connection with the loop-formingneedles and advantages incidentto utilization of the imnot intended as limiting the, invention as to 1I provement,'as in cleaning,'whereln the cleaning equivalent structi irefor obtaining like results,

fluids may be used more freely about the parts, since it may likewise beapplied to other needle- 7, thereby to obtain better results without thelike elements of the machine, such as thefweltf necessity for undue carein attempting to keep hooks, the transfer and topping points, andf'thefthe-fluids away from th parts, springs and combs of the jack-bedassembly, an

Another object of the invention is to provide absorbent body, such as astrip of relatively'hardsubstantially a reservoir fora reserve supply offiber board or the like, is impregnatedwitlfiaf a substance capable offlowi'n rsuch that parts flowable substance which is non-miscible withwhich are not in direct contact 'with the main s'uphydrous liquids. Thissorb nt b0dy, which 5 ply body receive the substance by a surfacealso ofsuch character as to constitute a yielding} creepageor capillary action,as augmented by the pad between the needles andthe ne'edle' ba'r 1 theimpregnating material are chosen and arranged such that the bodyconstitutes substantially a reservoir whereupon, after the initialcontact of the pad with the needles, altho the fluid will not leakwastefully,'or bleed, from the pad, a continuing supply of theprotective fluid is maintained, which will feed to the needles.

The usual needle bar assembly, of a straight or full fashioned knittingmachine, comprises a bar I2, and a slotted bed I3, to which the needlesI4 are clamped by yielding strips or pads I5 carried by jaws I6, whichare adjustably secured to the bar I2, as by bolts I'I. Alignment of thejaws I6 relative to each other is ordinarily effected by engagement ofthe rounded portion I8, with a longitudinally extending groove I9 formedin the bar I2. The strip I5 is preferably secured to the clamp I6 by alayer of adhesive substance 20, such as shellac or other suitablematerial, and provides a yielding contact surface 22 for clamping theneedles I to the bed I3 to evenly distribute the pressure of theclamping members I6 over the needles I4. The clamp I6 rigidly maintainsthe stems 23 of said needles in a definite spaced relation to eachother.

In accordance with the invention, in order to prevent the absorption ofmoisture by the strip elements I 5, and to prevent the formation of ruston the clamped portions of the needles, the strip I5 is constituted as asaturated pad or reservoir of moisture repellent material. To form thereservoir, the strip I5 is impregnated, preferably after it has beensecured to the clamp, with a suitable substance 24, Figs. 5, 6 and '7,such as petrolatum or other oily or unctuous substance which, althoughbeing non-miscible with water, may be applied to the pores of the stripI5 to form a reservoir of moisture repellent material within thestructure of the strip; a preierred method, as hereinafter moreparticularly pointed out, being to heat or otherwise'liquefy thepetrolatum or other substance, apply it to the pad in liquid state, andallow the structure to cool or harden. By this selection of materialsand method of treating'and assembly, a reservoir pad is provided whichdoes not, as it would if treated with ordinary or highly volatile oils,lose its effectiveness over long periods of time, since light oilsevaporate quickly and do not have sufficient body, whereas petrolatum,or other similar substance of relatively high viscosity, endures, notonly to protect the needles, but to preserve the pad, and to provide agreater reserve supply.

Thus, altho the strip I5 does not completely surround the stem portionsof the needles held within the clamping zone of the needle bar, themoisture repellant substance carried by the strip will slowly creep orflow therefrom and maintain a protective film on the needles. This film,or coating, is thus constantly replenished and acts to preventrust-forming liquids from penetrating the pad, and even though portionsof the protectivc coating on the needles should be subiect ed, at remoteintervals, .to rust-forming influ ences, the reservoir ofmoisture-repellent material contained within the strip automaticallyreplenishes the protective coating.

Figs. 6 and 7 are greatly exaggerated views showing that the pores ofall exposed surfaces of.

the strip I5 are filled with the lubricant or moisture-repellantsubstance 24, which is fed to the stems of the naedles to maintain aprotective coating thereon. The irregularities of the surface 25 next tothe clamping jaw I6 are filled with a suitable adhesive substance bywhich the strip is attached to the jaw.

The needle engaging surface 22 of the strip I5, although ordinarilyhaving many microscopic cavities in its untreated form, is according tothe invention, normally smooth and regular, see Figs. 1 and 6, since theirregularities of the exposed surfaces are filled with the rust-proofingsubstance. I

Impregnating the strip elements I5 with a rustpreventingcompound may beeffected by absorption or by forcing the compound into the pores of thestrip under pressure; a preferred method being to first apply a film ofshellac, or material on the order of shellac as toits resistance to oiland its ability to adhere to both metal and fibre, to that surfaceadjoining the clamping jaw. This material penetrates the pores andfibres of the strip and, when hardened, provides a firm anchoragetherefor. Next, the assembled jaw and strip may be heated, andpetroiatum or a like oleaginous substance heated to a free flowing stateand applied thereto. One method of applying the substance is to work itinto the strip with a soldering iron; and anothermethod to heat both thesubstance and the strip, and apply the substance to the strip under avacuum, the latter procedure drawing out of the strip substantially alltrapped air and ensuring substantially maximum penetration of thepetroiatum.

In the modification shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the strip I5a is providedwith a relatively large number of cells. or apertures, as thesymmetrically distributed cells 21, on the order of pin holes orslightly larger, such as not to materially change the clampingresistance or yield of the strip as a clamp cushion, but to increase thetotal capacity of the strip for the moisture-repellent material therebyto make the moisture-repellent qualities thereof to last longer beforerenewal of the strips is necessary. To obtain such result, it isnecessary that the substance should not bleed or escape by unnecessaryleakage, but should be capable of feeding to the needles as required;the

density of the strip, the viscosity of the substance and other factorsbeing correlated to the above ends in the structure of the invention.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described, by which Iobtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various wayswithout departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

'1. A knitting machine comprising a. bed element having elongated seats,needle-like members having longitudinal stem sections along said seatsand working portions projecting therefrom, clamping means including ajaw element opposite said jaw between the bed and said needle-likemembers, and means for distributing clamping pressure over the stems,preventing the admission of moisture to certain parts in the clampingzone and compensating for its effects at other parts therein includingan element operating as a. cushion between one of said elements and saidneedlelike members and containing a moisture-repellant substanceprevented from bleeding from the cushion but operating to maintain thesubstance in contact with portions of the needle-like members undernormal temperature conditions.

2. A knitting machine comprising a bed element having elongated seats,needle-like members having longitudinal stem sections along, said seatsand working portions projecting therefrom, clamping means including ajaw element opposite said jaw between the bed and said needle-likemembers, and means for distributing clamping pressure over the stems,preventing the admission of mor'sture to certain parts in the clampingzone and compensating for its effects at other parts therein including,a yieldable strip between one of said elements and said needle-likemembers, said strip having cells of a size and distribution therein inaccordance with the yieldability of the strip material to retain thereina predetermined resistance to the clamping force and to hold apredetermined supply of moisturerepellant substance prevented frombleeding from the strip but operating to supply the substance toportions of the needle-like members under normal temperature conditions.

3. In combination, in a knitting machine, a bank of needle-likeelements, means for supporting the same including a backing portionextending over lengths of the stems thereof, and means including ayieldable pad providing a cushion for the needle-like elements andcontaining a substance protecting said elements against moisture betweensaid backing portion and said stem lengths from which working portionsof the elements project.

4. A knitting machine comprising a needle-bed having seats, needleshaving stems on said seats and Working portions projecting therefrom, aclamp, and means for distributing clamp pressure on the stems,preventing the admission of moisture to certain parts and counteractingits efiects at other parts of the stems in the clamping zone including ahard fibrous strip secured to the clamp by an oil-resistant cement andsubstantially saturated by an oleaginous material of viscositypreventing its'bleeding but causing it to feed to the needlesunderordinary temperatures.

5. The method of assembling a strip of hard fibrous material on a clampjaw for position against a bank of needles of a straight knittingmachine and treating said strip to protect the needles against moisture,which comprises first placing a film of oil-resistant adhesive ontheorder of shellac between the strip and the jaw to penetrate the strip,allowing the film to harden, heating the assembled strip and jaw,heating to a free-flowing state an oleaginous substance normally ofrelatively high viscosity, and applying the hot liquid to the heatedstrip whereby, when cooled, the strip holds substantially a maximum ofthe substance in a state preventing its bleeding from the strip butallowing it to feed to the needles.

6. The method of preparing a strip of hard fibrous material for assemblyon a clamp jaw, assembling the strip on the jaw and treating the stripafter assembly, for position against a bank of needles to protect theneedles against moisture, which comprises, selecting the strip as tohardness such that, after perforating, it will have effective resistanceto, and yield against, the service-clamping pressure, perforating itwith cells of a size and symmetrical spacing to effect such resistanceand yield and to hold a predetermined quantity of moisture repellantmaterial, placing a film of oil-resistant adhesive on the order ofshellac between the strip and the jaw to penetrate the strip, allowingthe film to harden, heating the assembled strip and jaw, heating to afreefiowing state an oleaginous substance normally of relatively highviscosity, and subjecting the heated strip to a vacuum while applyingthe hot liquid to the heated strip whereby, when cooled, the stripholds, in its fibers and in its said cells, substantially'a maximumamount of the substance in a state preventing its bleeding from thestrip but allowing it to feed to the needles.

7. A support, for needle-like elements of a straight knitting machine,comprising a bed having parallel uniformly laterally spaced grooves in asurface of the bed for receiving said elements and means for holding theelements longitudinally, a set of needle-like elements to-be held by thebed in said grooves laterally relative to each other with sides of theelements protruding from the grooves laterally to said bed surface, theelements also being adapted to be held longitudinally by said means, ajaw for clamping the elements against the bed having a surface forparallel recient liquefaction under heat to penetrate said strip andremain in the strip to the maximum quantity of which the strip as soconstituted is' capable of holding under normal temperature conditions,and also, being capable of feeding to the elements, and prevented frombleeding from the strip, under such conditions.

v GUSTAV GASTRICH.

